One-Piece Swimwear Garment Configured for Transition to a Two-Piece Swimwear Garment

ABSTRACT

A one-piece swimwear garment is disclosed that is configured to detach into an upper portion and a lower portion so that either the upper portion or lower portion can be removed from a wearer&#39;s body without the removal of the other portion.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of swimwear. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a one-piece swimwear garment configured to easily transition to a two-piece swimwear garment.

BACKGROUND

One-piece swimwear for females (or “tank suits”) have been known for many decades and such clothing items or “swimsuits” are made to cover a wearer's chest, groin, and buttocks from exposure. One-piece swimsuits are put on a wearer by the wearer placing her feet through adjacent apertures along a bottom section of a one-piece swimsuit. The swimsuit is then pulled over the wearer's chest and, if shoulder straps are included, a wearer places her arms through the straps. When a wearer opts to take off the swimsuit, the process is reversed. If straps are included on the swimsuit, the first step is removing the wearer's arms from the straps of the swimsuit. Then, the suit is pulled off of the legs of the wearer completely removing the entire swimsuit.

One-piece swimsuits are highly desirable for use by women during watersports such as water skiing because of the physical nature of such activities. Two-piece swimwear garments fall off of a wearer very easily during waterskiing or other similar water sporting activity due to the turbulence and force of water, so two-piece swimwear garments are much less desirable for such activities. Therefore, one-piece swimwear garments are optimal for women during such activities.

One problem with one-piece swimsuits of this kind is that it often becomes necessary to completely remove the entire swimsuit from a wearer's body when the wearer needs to urinate, defecate, or address a feminine hygiene need. What is needed, therefore, is a one-piece swimsuit that circumvents this problem.

SUMMARY

The above and other needs are met by a one-piece swimwear garment that comprises a zip fastener at or proximate the waistline of a wearer wherein the zip fastener extends substantially completely around the swimsuit, holding an upper portion and a lower portion of the swimsuit together.

In a preferred embodiment, a one-piece swimwear garment is disclosed comprising a first portion and a second portion wherein the first portion comprises a first edge and a first row of teeth attached along the first edge and wherein the second portion comprises a second edge and a second row of teeth attached along the second edge wherein the first row of teeth is removably attachable to the second row of teeth to hold the first portion and the second portion together as a one-piece swimwear garment. Preferably, the first portion comprises an upper portion of a one-piece swimwear garment configured to cover at least a portion of the chest of a wearer and wherein the second portion comprises a lower portion of a one-piece swimwear garment configured to cover at least a portion of the groin and at least a portion of the buttocks of a wearer. The first row of teeth and the second row of teeth are preferably made from a material comprising one or more polymers. More preferably, the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth are made from a material consisting essentially of one or more thermoplastic polymer substances that exhibit a high degree of plasticity.

The one-piece swimwear garment described herein preferably comprises a sliding component configured to slide along the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth wherein the first row and second row of teeth are attached together when the sliding component moves in a first direction and wherein the first row and second row of teeth are detached from one another when the sliding component moves in a second direction. The first row of teeth preferably has a beginning point and an ending point that are substantially next to each other such that the first row of teeth extends substantially the entire length of the first edge. The second row of teeth preferably has a beginning point and an ending point that are substantially next to each other such that the second row of teeth extends substantially the entire length of the second edge. A beginning point of the first row of teeth is preferably configured to be located along the hip of a wearer when the one-piece swimwear garment is being properly worn by a wearer.

An advantage of the one-piece swimwear garment described herein is that the second portion of the swimwear garment can be detached easily from the first portion and removed from a wearer's body to facilitate urination or defecation without the necessity of removing the entire one-piece swimwear garment from the wearer's body. The second portion can be reattached easily and quickly to the first portion by re-engaging the zip fastener.

Another advantage of the one-piece swimwear garment is that the second portion of the swimwear garment can be detached easily from the first portion and removed from a wearer's body such that the wearer can gain access to place or remove a feminine hygiene product.

Yet another advantage of the one-piece swimwear garment described herein is that it allows for a wearer to remove the first portion of the swimwear garment from a wearer's body for an activity such as sun tanning while keeping the second portion on the wearer's body.

All of the above-identified advantages are coupled with the advantage that the wearer has a one-piece swimwear garment that is optimal for use during watersports such as waterskiing so that the swimwear garment is not easily removed during the physical activity but also retains the above-identified advantages of a two-piece swimwear garment.

The summary provided herein is intended to provide examples of particular disclosed embodiments and is not intended to cover all potential embodiments or combinations of embodiments. Therefore, this summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention disclosure in any way, a function which is reserved for the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying figures, wherein elements are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an image of a person wearing a one-piece swimwear garment comprising a first portion and a second portion that are attached together; and

FIG. 2 shows an image of the one-piece swimwear garment shown in FIG. 1 wherein the first portion and the second portion have been detached from one another.

The figures are provided to illustrate concepts of the invention disclosure and are not intended to embody all potential embodiments of the invention. Therefore, the figures are not intended to limit the scope of the invention disclosure in any way, a function which is reserved for the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various terms used herein are intended to have particular meanings. Some of these terms are defined below for the purpose of clarity. The definitions given below are meant to cover all forms of the words being defined (e.g., singular, plural, present tense, past tense). If the definition of any term below diverges from the commonly understood and/or dictionary definition of such term, the definitions below control.

One-Piece Swimwear Garment: a form of swimwear that covers at least a portion of a wearer's chest, groin and buttocks; also known as a tank suit.

Zip Fastener: an apparatus for holding two pieces of fabric or other material together, the apparatus comprising two rows teeth that are removably attached together, preferably in interdigitized fashion, and a sliding component that is used to combine the rows of teeth together or separate the two rows of teeth based on the direction of movement of the sliding component; also known as a zipper or zip.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment of a one-piece swimwear garment 10 configured to be detachable into a first portion 12 and a second portion 14. A first row of teeth 16 preferably runs along substantially the entire length of a first edge 18 of the first portion 12. A second row of teeth 20 preferably runs along substantially the entire length of a second edge 22 of the second portion 14. The first row of teeth 16 and the second row of teeth 20 are configured to be removably attachable to one another. A sliding component 24 plus the first row of teeth 16 and the second row of teeth 20 together comprise a zip fastener 26. When the sliding component 24 is moved in a first direction along the first row of teeth 16 and the second row of teeth 20, the first row of teeth 16 and the second row of teeth 20 are attached together. When the sliding component is moved in a second direction, the first row of teeth 16 and the second row of teeth 20 are detached from one another.

Preferably, the first portion 12 and/or the second portion 14 include a rear fold of fabric or other similar material attached adjacent to the zip fastener 26 to put a buffer between the zip fastener 26 and the skin of a person wearing the one-piece swimwear garment 10 so that the wearer's skin does not come into direct contact with any component of the zip fastener 16. The first portion 12 and/or the second portion 14 may further include a front fold of fabric or other similar material attached adjacent to the zip fastener to visually hide the zip fastener 26 from the sight of an observer.

The first portion 12 of the one-piece swimwear garment 10 is intended to cover at least a portion of a wearer's chest as shown in FIG. 1. The second portion 14 of the one-piece swimwear garment 10 is intended to cover at least a portion of a wearer's groin and at least a portion of a wearer's buttocks as shown in FIG. 1. The zip fastener 26 preferably extends along the waistline of a wearer. The beginning point of the zip fastener 26 may be located at any point along the first row of teeth 16 and the second row of teeth 20 but is most preferably located at a position situated along a wearer's right or left hip.

The zip fastener 26 is preferably plastic but also made be made of metal or other solid material. Preferably, the zip fastener 26 is made of a material comprising one or more polymers and is most preferably made of a thermoplastic polymer material that has a high degree of plasticity.

An advantage of the one-piece swimwear garment 10 described herein is that the second portion 14 of the swimwear garment 10 can be detached easily from the first portion 12 and removed from a wearer's body to facilitate urination or defecation without the necessity of removing the entire one-piece swimwear garment 10 from the wearer's body. The second portion 14 can be reattached easily and quickly to the first portion 12 by re-engaging the zip fastener 26.

Another advantage of the one-piece swimwear garment is that the second portion 14 of the swimwear garment 10 can be detached easily from the first portion 12 and removed from a wearer's body such that the wearer can gain access to place or remove a feminine hygiene product.

Yet another advantage of the one-piece swimwear garment described herein is that it allows for a wearer to remove the first portion 12 of the swimwear garment 10 from a wearer's body for an activity such as sun tanning while keeping the second portion 14 on the wearer's body.

All of the above-identified advantages are coupled with the advantage that the wearer has a one-piece swimwear garment that is optimal for use during watersports such as waterskiing so that the swimwear garment is not easily removed during the physical activity but that also retains the above-identified advantages of a two-piece swimwear garment.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The described preferred embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the disclosure to the precise form(s) disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the concepts revealed in the disclosure in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the disclosure as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A one-piece swimwear garment comprising a first portion and a second portion wherein the first portion comprises a first edge and a first row of teeth attached proximate the first edge and wherein the second portion comprises a second edge and a second row of teeth attached proximate the second edge wherein the first row of teeth is removably attachable to the second row of teeth to hold the first portion and the second portion together as a one-piece swimwear garment.
 2. The one-piece swimwear garment of claim 1 wherein the first portion comprises an upper portion of a one-piece swimwear garment configured to cover at least a portion of the chest of a wearer and wherein the second portion comprises a lower portion of a one-piece swimwear garment configured to cover at least a portion of the groin and at least a portion of the buttocks of a wearer.
 3. The one-piece swimwear garment of claim 2 further comprising a sliding component configured to slide along the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth wherein the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth are attached together when the sliding component moves in a first direction and wherein the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth are detached from one another when the sliding component moves in a second direction.
 4. The one-piece swimwear garment of claim 3 wherein the first row of teeth has a beginning point and an ending point that are substantially next to each other such that the first row of teeth extends substantially the entire length of the first edge.
 5. The one-piece swimwear garment of claim 3 wherein the second row of teeth has a beginning point and an ending point that are substantially next to each other such that the second row of teeth extends substantially the entire length of the second edge.
 6. The one-piece swimwear garment of claim 3 wherein a beginning point of the first row of teeth is configured to be located along the right or left hip of a wearer when the one-piece swimwear garment is being properly worn by a wearer.
 7. The one-piece swimwear garment of claim 1 wherein the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth are made from a material comprising one or more polymers.
 8. The one-piece swimwear garment of claim 1 wherein the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth are made from a material consisting essentially of one or more thermoplastic polymer substances that exhibit a high degree of plasticity. 